Waverley Library (Octavo Edition) (no. 80) (1885 12 01)
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4 TWO YOUNG GIRLS. { eyes and remain unscathed, he is well armed.” | ~ The ‘gentle knight” was a pedestrian, in the garb of a tourist, who was walking sturdily across the fields in the direction of our country girls, with the view of descending the narrow path that led to the embryo town below. On nearer approach, he proved on inspection to be a tall, well-built young fellow; rough, but ready; awkward, yet well-looking. His features were good, but his air was a trifle | queer, and he grew self-conscious as he passed Millicent and her sister. ‘Many a true word is said to be uttered in | jest. Miss Farrell had the satisfaction of con- quering this good-humored, powerfully-built | excursionist by a glance. His footsteps descended on the grass like a sledge-hummer, in a succession of heavy thuds, rapid and uncompromising; but directly he caught sight of Millicent and locked into her | face in passing, as a stranger might, so strong was the impression produced that it evidently required all the self-possession he could com- mand to walk on his way. His legs almost trembled under him, and he seemed in danger of a momentary collapse; but another moment, and he was out of sight. “Poor fellow!” whispered Mary. ‘‘ Badly hurt, I’m sure, You struck him, Millicent, as a wave strikes a yacht when she’s tacking and trembles all over.” “Now, if he were only.an earl,” said Miss Farrell, ‘‘what a deal of trouble might be saved! I could go home and say, ‘Mamma, dear, Veni, vidi, vici—I came, Saw and con- quered—an earl,’ Well, I wonder what he is; looks like a Londoner, don’t you think s0, ar ? & x Londoner, decidedly.” “Then,” continued Millicent, in the same merry, jesting vein, ‘that’s ono point in his favor, at least; for mamma, who will have it that everything that comes from town is best, has promised us a brace of London lovers,” With a merry laugh, the girls resumed their walk, turning inland in the direction of their home, CHAPTER II. AN UGLY INTRUDER. Tue young man—Peter Puddefoot, by name | —just referred to, on getting clear of the ladies, walked firmly and briskly along—as do too many—on the downward path, and soon found himself in the midst of the few houses | and ‘shops that were nestled together at the foot of the cliff. 4 Turning up a narrow lane, he came to some half-dozen cottages, built of wood, embosomed in the cliff, with charming little front gardens, bordered with shells, and glowing with the varied profusion of color of simple but brilliant- hued flowers, . Into.one of these Mr. Peter Puddefoot walk- ed; up the short garden path, through the open door, which admitted him into an unpretend- ing but neatly furnished room, There was an old-fashioned mahogany chest of drawers, with large brass handles, a good- sized table, covered with a smart cloth, some plain Windsor chairs, and a straight-backed arm-chair, in which was seated an aged dame, nodding in a comfortable semi-somnolent con- dition. A cat was stretched at full length in front of tho grate, enjoying the savory odor that emanated from a large saucepan on the fire; but, cat-like, on the sound of footsteps, if retreated with a sudden spring to the sill of the smull, diamond-paned window, looking out on a glare of white-cbalk and a three-cornered yard. “Well, grandmother, here I am again, true to dinner-time; and bless your dear old soul for making me as comfortable as you have done for a week past. Why, granny, you’ve saved mo two-thirds of a five-pound note, at least; and I can’t help thinking sometimes that it’s downright selfish and mean of me to put you tothe trouble and expense I must have caused.” “Your dinner’s ready, Peter,” said the old woman, rousing herseif gradually, an affec- tionate kiss from her grandson having sigui- fied his return, ‘And as for ‘trouble’ and ‘expense,’ you know Jane Pearee is a good girl, and comes in and does everything as regular as if she was my own servant; while for money, I’ve got more than the like of me, at my time of life, will ever want, And talk- ing of that, Peter, I’ve more coin in that chest ot drawers than I care to keep there; so when you go back home, I think I shall get you to take it—leastways, the best part of it—to your father, to invest it safe for me.” “The best thing you can do, granny, is to act as the guv’nor wants you to—come up to London, and invest yourself in our crib at Camberwell. Lor bless you, you don’t know how ke and the mother talk about it!” Tho old dame’s eyes glistened. “You see, Peter,” she said, “I never was much given to change, and the older I grow, the better I seem to like the old place where I was born and reared. But I have no desire to,die away from you all; and you may tell | your father that ina year or two’s time, if I am spared, I’ll do as he wishes.” “ As we all wish,” interrupted her grandson, earnestly. “Heaven has bestowed upon me no greater blessing than the knowledge that I live in the affections of my children, and in that knowledge, when my time comes, I shall die happy!” said the good dame. She then rose, and laying the table-cloth, soon put her grandson’s dinner before bim; Sd
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